The mobile security firm, with headquarters in both the U.S. and China, estimates that nearly 33 million Android devices were targeted by malware in 2012 -- a jump of more than 200% from the year prior.

"Android is one of the most powerful operating systems in the world. It allows developers to develop some of the most innovative applications out there," said Omar Khan, Co-CEO of NQ Mobile, to CNN's Nina dos Santos. "But because it's so open it also gives the opportunity for bad actors in the system to take advantage of that openness to develop malicious applications as well."

According to the NQ report, one type of malware is delivered through app repackaging in which a user downloads a mobile application that looks legitimate but is actually a harmful program.

Malware can also be downloaded through fake websites when a user clicks on a URL that appears authentic but is not.

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Mobile users can also be duped through so-called "smishing" -- a combination of the words SMS and phishing -- where a user receives a text message asking for personal information like a credit card number, e-mail address or social security number.

"The simplest thing we can do is put passwords on our phones. Installing security and encryption solutions (are another) way to do it. Also educating our consumers and our enterprise users not to connect and leave open wi-fi connections or Bluetooth connections -- only to connect to trusted sources. A lot of times we'll connect to anything."

The NQ report also revealed that China, India and Russia were the top three countries with infected mobile devices.

"In the emerging markets it's our only lifeline to the internet so hackers are finding that information more and more valuable which is why they're going after these devices," said Khan.